slamming doors and faltered breath
by sadspitfire
Summary: Artemis and Wally are having a hard time dealing with the failed training exercise. Takes place after Failsafe.


Artemis sat in her cold room at the cave shivering under her thick purple comforter, trying to forget what had transpired earlier that day. She sat on the ground under the quiet heating vent on her ceiling, yet no heat reached her. Artemis had never in her life felt like such a failure. She was the first to die. She failed her team. She let everyone down. If she hadn't died this whole thing wouldn't have happened, this entire situation was all of her fault. She couldn't put the blame on M'gan, how could she ever be mad at someone just because she loved Artemis so much that her sub-conscience couldn't handle her death. People so full of love like M'gan should never be blamed. So here she was desperately trying to get the feeling of her own death to go away and her feeling of self worth to come back.

Wally sat in the training room. His head hanging in between his legs, a mix of sweat and tears dripping from his nose. The punching bag he had been pummeling earlier now sat still a few feet away. His need to hit and break things was long gone, all that remained now was the overwhelming feeling of sheer desperation, heavy on the over. All he could imagine was her death. Every time he closed his eyes he could see the blinding light of the death ray and the empty snow where she once stood. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the image out of his mind. He didn't care what Bats said, Wally knew that M'gan's sub-conscience wasn't the only reason he forgot it was only an exercise.

Artemis really wasn't in the mood to talk, so when she heard a knock on the door she was more than happy to not answer it. That was, until she heard it was Wally.

"Hey Artemis, um it's uh... it's Wally."

She quickly shuffled over to the door and opened it ever so slightly.

"What is it Wally I was trying to sleep." She stated. Her voice is soft and broken.

"Come on Artemis we both know thats not true." He said with a sheepish grin.

"Can I uh.. come in?" He asked looking down at his feet. He expected her to slam the the door in his face. What she does next surprised him. She opened the door and with a feeble "ok" moved to sit down at the small wooden desk chair at the opposite wall. He followed her in closing the door behind him.

"Ok so why uh _are_ you here?" She asked.

Instead of responding he pulled her into a hug. His arms wrapped around her and he put his head onto her shoulder and started to cry. Everything that happened that day was just suddenly too heavy for wally and holding onto her was the only way he could stay grounded.

She stood there rigid with his arms around her not knowing what to do or say to the upset boy hugging her tightly. Before she knew what she was doing her arms came around his neck and she started to stroke his hair, like a mother would do to comfort her son.

They sat like that for awhile, just holding each other and grieving together. It was nice. At least it was until Wally started to talk.

"So the ice queen does have a heart, I was beginning to get worried." He pulled away from her and immediately regretted the words as soon as he saw the look on her face.

"Are you kidding me. Are you fucking kidding me. God dammit Wally, what the hell is wrong with you! Here I am trying to help you and forget what a god awful day its been and you're fucking insulting me and making jokes."

"Hey I was just trying to lighten the mood. I didn't mean for you to take it so badly." He replied putting his hands up defensively.

"Oh sorry I took it the wrong fucking way, sorry I'm not just laughing away!" She yelled back. "Do you even know what today has been like for me? How dare you talk to me like that after what happened."

"Are you serious you got off easy today. Don't think for a second that you feel anywhere near as bad as I do. Get off your fucking high horse and realize they're are other people here who are just as messed up as you are about this! And at least you didn't have to watch the people you love more than anything die right before your eyes! You know what I don't even know why I'm talking to you about this. It's not like you actually care about any of us. You won't let us in. You wont tell us anything. You keep yourself in a fucking box while the rest of us are just trying to help you." Wally stopped mid rant and looked at her.

"Get out." She growled. He stood still. His brain made up hundreds of apologies, but he voiced none of them.

"Artemis-"

"GET OUT!" She yelled this time, interrupting whatever he was going to say.

He backed up to the door his eyes locked on hers, green eyes pleading with gray ones. Tears were streaming down her face and her shoulders were shaking.

"Go"

And with that he slipped out. Artemis walked up to the door and pounded her fists against it screaming and crying. The she fell to the ground holding her arms against her, wishing she had never met the stupid jerk of a speedster.

Wally sat with his back against her door listening to the sounds of her shallow ragged breath. Her banging on the door had log since passed. All he wanted to do was run in there, hold her again, and tell her how he didn't mean any of that he was upset. If he could've just told her how watching her die destroyed him. Tell her how desperate he was to prove she was alive. Tell her that his every thought drifted to her no matter where he was. Tell her that a certain green martian didn't actually mean anything to him anymore. Finally, to tell her that he cared about her more than he's ever cared about anyone. Unfortunately, the Wally West that had a million 'i love yous' to tell her was usually swallowed whole by the rude, obnoxious, and flirtatious Kid Flash. Wally wondered when they stopped being the same person.


End file.
